Display case



Oct. 30, 1928.

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Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WISTER I. BOTT, OF HOMER, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTI-IS TO FRED C.

' MCCLANAHAN, OF HOMER, LOUISIANA.

DISPLAY CASE.

Application filed January 12, 1927. Serial No. 160,686.

Thisinvention relates to floor cases for the display of goods, being particularly designed for exhibiting cigars and smokers sundries, whereby the customer is enabled to select the particular cigar or other article desired and the dispenser can maintain the case closed on cept when making a sale. As a result the goods are protected from dust and miscellaneous handling.

The invention furthermore provides adisplay case which is normally closed, yet adapted to be instantly opened to the customer and which automatically closes, thereby guarding against the same being accidentally left open.

The invention also aims to provide a dis play case of the character aforesaid which admits of a broken glass being readily replaced, and in which the operating mechanism is on closed, so as not to be interfered with when utilizing the available space for storage.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and such other changes in the minor details of construction maybe resorted to Within the scope of the invention as cl aimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached, in which,-

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view of a display case embodying the invention, looking towards the front from the rear.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. t

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing more clearly the manner of attaching a fleXible element to the movable front glass.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The display case is of the type designed to and generally utilized for storage. The upper, or top section is designed solely for display purposes and the top and enclosing Walls are usually of glass to admit of ready observance of the goods on display. The floor, or bottom, 10 of the upper section 11 forms the top of the lower section 12, which. as stated, is generally used for storage. The base 13 is hollow and may be of any preferred formation. The front 14 of the display section 11 is movable vertically and is retained in place and directed in its vertical movements by guide grooves 15 formed in the opposing sides of posts 16. The front 14 consists of a glass plate which slides vertically and closes by an upward movement and opens by a downward movement into the lower, or storage, section 12. The opening in the floor or bottom 10, through which the front 14 slides is suitably lined with felt, or other material, to deaden noise and prevent injury to the front. The upper front rail 17 is connected. to the cross rails 18 by means of a metal bar 19 attached to the inner side of the rail 17 and having its ends bent and connected to the cross rails. In this manner the rail 17 is reinforced and may be readily removed to admit of the front 14 being easily replaced when required, or for any other purpose. The several rails or bars forming the top frame of the display section 11 are rabbeted, as indicated most clearly in Figure 2, to receive the glass top 20, which is thereby made readily removable. Theseveral longitudinal and cross rails may be connected by means of angle irons, or in any determinate way. The top front rail 17 is grooved in its bottom side to receive the top edge of the front 14, when the latter is closed, and this groove is lined to obviate noise and insure a close joint. The corner or upright posts 16 may havethe ends of the longitudinal and cross rails tenoned therein, as indicated most clearly in Figure 4, thereby supplementing the action of the angle iron connection.

The operating mechanism for the vertically movable front 14 includes oppositely disposed lcvers 21 which are located within the front portion of the lower section 12. The levers 21 extend in opposite directions and normally incline in an upward and outward direct-ion from their inner lower ends, which are pivoted to a bracket 22 secured to the top 23 of the base 13. Links 24 connect the upper outer ends of the levers 21 to clips 25 attached jec'ts th'rou'ghan opening in the rear of the base 1?} andt'erniinates in la treadle 31 tore-- e otthe feet: A link 82 con nee s the iiront end of the lever 29 with the front portion oi the lever 26 and passes urle gh an opening 'iathe m 23'. Down ward ovement-or the rear end of thelever 29"elle'cts' an'upw'ard r'novement of the front 'end' ofthe lever 26 an'da corresponding movementofthe'innr ends'of the levels 21. As a result, the outer ends of the levers 21 move dowiiw dly and lower the front 14-, thereby admitting er a'customer having access to the case our the front so as to select and obtain the "desiredarticle. In this connection itis observed that the lever 29' may be" operated many preferred way by pneuinatic or electrically operated means, whichinay be controlletlby means of a push button, or in any d'f 'rnnnae or preferred way. partition szrs' meea a'short distance from the front of the store -e section 12 encloses a space in which the levers 21 and counterbalance means as" reinforcin means therefor.

" i are located,tl1ereby preventing interference thereivitlrof articles, placed within the Section 12. housing 84 ektenos over the lever 26 ancrjprevmm interitference therewith ot articles stored w thin the section 12. 40" i Coiinterb'alanc'ing means are provided for nor-many holding the front 1 1 in'closed position and these'means may includen com binatioii of springs 35' and weights 36. The s1'n'ings35 are of the closed coil type, and are connected at theirupper ends to the floor and at their lower ends to the respective 1m, 21. When theupper outer ends of the lovers 21 i V springs are tensioned and operate to close the front-14 when the reme'xertea to lower the sani'e hasreleased y V The Weights 3'6 aredirected in their verti- 7 oil movements which are interposed between the parts 23. One of the guides isattached tothe partition 33, as

indicated most clearlyin Figure 2, and serves A flexible element S Sisc V 36* and its opposite end passes over a guide arey'sewu "attached to, the clip arena guide pulley 'being suspended from the floor 10; As uifienr 14: lowers the counterweights 36 rise and when theforce erip ended to lower thefront-1 ersreleased the Weights 36 descend a nd erfecta' closing' o'fthe front as will be In this manner have moved 3 downwardly, the

ri'eoted a't oneie nd to" a weight readily understood. It is observed that either the weights or the springs may sullice to maintain the front It in closed position, but by providing both means a closing; of the trout is assured, as it is not likely that both means would fail to operate at the same time.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

1. In a display case having a vertically movable front, operating; means for the trout l1lCl1Hill11 levers arranged in a plane parallel with the said trout and ivoted adjacent their inner ends and inclining upwardly and outwardly, means connecting the order ends of said levers with opposite end portions ol' the front, and'an operating lever having conneo tion with the inner ends of the said levers.

2. In a display case having a vertically movable front, levers arranged in a plane parallcl with the said front and pivoted adjacent their inner ends and inclining upwardly and outwardly, links connecting the outer ends of said levers with opposite end portions of the said front, an operating: lever, and means connectin}; the operating lever with the inner ends of said levers.

3. In a display case having a vertically movable front, levers located beneath the floor of the case and inclined upwardly and out-' wardly from their inner lower ends, minus connecting the upper outer ends of the levels with opposite end portions 01 the movable front, an operating lever arrangred beneath the floor oi the case and means connecting the operating lever with the inner ends of the before mentioned levels.

4. In a display case having: a vertically movable front, clips applied to the lower edge portions of the movable' fr oirt adjacent its ends, levers arranged below the floor of the case and pivoted upon the base adjacent their inner ends and normally inclining upwardly and outwardly, means connectingrthe upper outer'ends of the lovers with the said clips, an operating, lever and means connecting the operating lever with the inner lower ends 01 the before mentioned levers.

5. A display case including a vertictlly movable front, levers arranged beneath the floor of the case and pivoted upon the base adjacent their inner ends and normallyv iiiolining upwardly and outwardly, and havingconnection at their upper outer ends with the lower portion of the front adjacent the ends thereof, anoperatingr lever having COHHQC- tion with the inner lower ends of the said levers, counterbalancing springs connected witl the inclined levers, weights, flexible elements forming connecting means between the weights and the lower portion of the niovable front, and guide mean's'i or the flexible elements.

6. A display case comprising"upper and lower sections. the upper section having: a

vertically movable front, levers located in the lower section and inclined upwardly and outwardly from their inner lower ends, means connecting the upper ends of the levers with the lower portion of the movable front adjacent the ends thereof, a transversely disposed lever connected'to the inner ends of the before mentioned levers, and counterbalancing means for the movable front located within the lower section.

7. A display case comprising a hollow base, upper and lower sections, the upper section having a vertically movable front, levers located within the lower section and having their upper outer ends connected to the lower portion of the movable front adjacent the ends thereof, a transverse lever connected at its front end to the inner lower ends of the before mentioned levers, an operating lever within the hollow base and connected to said cros's lever, and counterbalancing means for the said movable front disposed within the said lower section.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WISTER P. BOTT. 

